Hall and Oates Sue Granola Maker

"Hall and Oates are saying “no can do” to a granola-maker’s Haulin’ Oats cereal.

The pop music duo has sued Brooklyn-based Early Bird Foods & Co. in federal court, accusing the company of violating trademark protections with its “phonetic play” on Daryl Hall and John Oates’ names. The suit called it “an effort to trade off of the fame and notoriety” associated with the duo.

In an email sent Thursday, Early Bird Foods owner Nekisia Davis said she had no comment, “Except ‘Say it isn’t so,’” – an apparent reference to a 1983 recording by Hall and Oates with that title.

The company’s website describes it as a small operation located in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. It bills itself as the maker of “out-of-this-world delicious, wholesome and nourishing small batch granola and other foods by hand.”

The suit asks the court to order Early Bird Foods to stop using the Haulin’ Oats name on packages of granola. It also says the company should hand over any profits made off the brand."

http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=816881

 

What's notorious about Hall & Oates?

 

Neil Hamburger should sue them as it's his joke

 

Maybe the writer confused H&O with Duran Duran...

 

Or, "We're sick of playing State Fairs and casinos!"

 

Do they serve Haulin' Oats at the Abandoned Luncheonette?

 

What's next? Will Eric Clapton sue Cream of Wheat? Or vice versa?

 

I wonder if anyone who makes cereal containing "Whole Oats" should be worried?...

On the other hand, maybe someone who was making cereal containing "Whole Oats" prior to 1972 should sue H&O...

 

Only when the morning comes.

 

This litigation may cause me to hold off on launching my "Every Picture Tells a Story Donut" shop.

 

I hope they don't come after you next. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

 

Private eyes - they're watching you.

 

They must have had private eyes checking into this.

 

Oh Zing!

 

There goes my idea for Bran Eater cereal.

 

I knew this joke was gonna pop up before too long!

 

So I guess Did It In a Minute instant oatmeal is out of the question?

 

Be careful or Colocally will sue you for stealing that joke!

 

What's funny is that the duo have insisted throughout their career that they are "Daryl Hall & John Oates." They hated the nickname Hall & Oates.

 

So does anyone here have an opinion of this case? Legit? Too sensitive?

The thread about Don Henley got into merits of the case, even if most of the posts were essentially "Henley is a dick"...

 

Sweet!

 

True, but now there is money to be made from that hated nickname. Bet you they'll be lovin' it now.

 

Oops missed that, not quick enough! Deleted...

 

I like that the writer of the article stated the use of "say it isn't so" was an "apparent" reference to the song - like it might've been a coincidence!

 

I'm an H&O fan, but see this case as ridiculous and more than a reach. *Maybe* you'd pursue this at the duo's height (1984), but now? C'mon. Let's hope it's a short-sighted manager's money grab, but this won't play well in the court of public opinion and it's not like trucks haven't been haulin oats for generations....